Roast Walters

[FD2646]

Can't recall if it was MJ or another NBA player, but the quote was "the last thing to go is your shot". This was in relation to playing/performing at the highest level - athleticism, endurance, pace fade but your shot is the last to go. I feel this applies to Sonny - his footskills and kick for goal appear to remain, but everything else is fading fast...it's sad.

 

[Lach72]

Can't recall if it was MJ or another NBA player, but the quote was "the last thing to go is your shot". This was in relation to playing/performing at the highest level - athleticism, endurance, pace fade but your shot is the last to go. I feel this applies to Sonny - his footskills and kick for goal appear to remain, but everything else is fading fast...it's sad.

86% tog, 8 possessions, 25% DE

 

[Square Peg]

Can't recall if it was MJ or another NBA player, but the quote was "the last thing to go is your shot". This was in relation to playing/performing at the highest level - athleticism, endurance, pace fade but your shot is the last to go. I feel this applies to Sonny - his footskills and kick for goal appear to remain, but everything else is fading fast...it's sad.

Yep. Last year I was pretty keen on making excuses for him because his preseason was buggered. But this year he hasn't missed a beat all preseason, and he gives us this two weeks in a row.
He's cooked. I've loved him for a long time but he's done.

 

[TheInjuryFactory]

Love him, was a favourite for a long stretch, and felt last year we possibly weren't using him right, but he's cooked beyond redemption.

Needs a Danyle Pearce

Danyle Pearce

Age

39

Ht

178cm

Wt

79kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.8

5star

K

13.1

5star

HB

6.7

4star

M

3.2

3star

T

2.7

4star

G

0.5

3star

No current season stats available

D

9.8

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

2.6

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.6

3star

G

0.8

4star

style 'quietly see out the contract down at Peel instilling standards' period to redeem the state he's in now.

 

[Freo Big Fella]

Should be genuinely ashamed of himself after today's effort.

Has torched what few remaining credits he had in the bank.

 

[Quazar]

exceptionally sad to see but he's not THAT player anymore; he doesn't even look happy...at all. His body language is absymal, whether it's down to a poor relationship with Longmuir (speculation I know), his body failing him at the level, or a combination of those things or something else he just looks dusted. Heartbreaker

 

[s_wd6]

exceptionally sad to see but he's not THAT player anymore; he doesn't even look happy...at all. His body language is absymal, whether it's down to a poor relationship with Longmuir (speculation I know), his body failing him at the level, or a combination of those things or something else he just looks dusted. Heartbreaker

Seeing his demise is legitmately one of the saddest things for me. I loved watching him for so long, and the fact that it started immediately after a career best, AA season going 20/2 goals a game makes it even worse. Just fell off so quickly and now offers nothing.

 

[Quazar]

Seeing his demise is legitmately one of the saddest things for me. I loved watching him for so long, and the fact that it started immediately after a career best, AA season going 20/2 goals a game makes it even worse. Just fell off so quickly and now offers nothing.

In the Adelaide game he showed his skillset is still in good order, he kicked a lovely wonderful spearing pass to Lobb in the first quarter after pushing up and finding space in the midfield when the Crows had turned it over and left holes; but when he's being played further forward in a pocket or whatever, he just looks so miserable, like he doesn't want to be there, like he's suffocating or cramped and doesn't have the freedom like he did in 2019 when he rotated through the middle. I feel like it's partly because J-Lo wanted to expand the midfield time of Cerra/Brayshaw/Serong and maybe Walters knew his time in there would be limited and maybe he feels as he ages he could impact from there more (??). Fyfe said recently he'd lost his passion a bit being asked to allow room for the 'kids' to come through. Maybe it's a reason why his goal-kicking suffered, they have both been so instrumental in the way this Freo team plays and goes about it's business, it's almost like it's lost on them to integrate the others up to where they're at....but Walters man, just looks jaded. Like if he could, he'd request a trade out tomorrow. It's horrible to watch

 

[s_wd6]

In the Adelaide game he showed his skillset is still in good order, he kicked a lovely wonderful spearing pass to Lobb in the first quarter after pushing up and finding space in the midfield when the Crows had turned it over and left holes; but when he's being played further forward in a pocket or whatever, he just looks so miserable, like he doesn't want to be there, like he's suffocating or cramped and doesn't have the freedom like he did in 2019 when he rotated through the middle. I feel like it's partly because J-Lo wanted to expand the midfield time of Cerra/Brayshaw/Serong and maybe Walters knew his time in there would be limited and maybe he feels as he ages he could impact from there more (??). Fyfe said recently he'd lost his passion a bit being asked to allow room for the 'kids' to come through. Maybe it's a reason why his goal-kicking suffered, they have both been so instrumental in the way this Freo team plays and goes about it's business, it's almost like it's lost on them to integrate the others up to where they're at....but Walters man, just looks jaded. Like if he could, he'd request a trade out tomorrow. It's horrible to watch

Fyfe seemed really frustrated at having to take a step back to let the others develop. Must be even more disheartnening to them that they had to do that for a player who had one foot out the door the second he arrived here.

 

[theGav56]

Hoping we don't get a full game analysis of Walter's input this week to show us that it isn't him at all.

 

[Cobbler]

Sadly he’s done. Not a poor patch or game but over a year of poor performances. Can’t excuse what he puts up. Credits in the bank have surely worn out.
It’s literally Ballantyne all over again.

 

[freo1997]

Duff was saying we need to do our best to get it into his hands, he's the finisher etc etc.

I like Duff but he ain't always right. I am fairly sure he has a looksy on here too.

Duff we tried, we tried, we can't try any longer. He literally can't keep his feet when we get it to him. I said it first and I'll say it again. Do a danyle and go to Peel..guide them and teach the younger boys coming through.

 

[freo1997]

Hoping we don't get a full game analysis of Walter's input this week to show us that it isn't him at all.

Hopefully duff on his podcast doesn't blame the players around him again.

 

[Outshined]

Sad to see the decline but it's undeniable at this point. He was in the conversation for our most important player for much of the 2010s, particularly during the early rebuild years. I remember him kicking 6 along with 30+ touches against St Kilda to try to drag us across the line by himself back in 2017.

Maybe a spell out of the side will reignite something. Even if doesn't, while I agree there's no place for sentimentality, it's important to acknowledge he's given a lot for this club.

Still, he can't stay in the side on current form. Today we'd have gotten more value out of playing a man down.

 

[StingBitten]

I am close with a couple of his family members through work and the feedback I got is that he's hungrier for success than ever, but struggles with the present message relaying - effectively Ross made his role clear and simple and that's what worked for him. The current messaging at times can be overexplained and overladen, and he's not gelling with everyone as well as he'd like. That was at the end of last year so not sure what his views are on the new forward coach.

Ross also put in an unbelievable amount of additional time into Sonny's development throughout his tenure, it truly was a father-son relationship. With Sonny's youth struggles he really needed that. JL treats Sonny well but he treats him just like any other player and he gets the same air time as the rest.

It's all speculative but maybe the little things matter.

Remember when he launched on Kennedy's shoulders a few years ago and took that specky? Seems impossible now.

 

[mightymouse75]

Walters is cooked. It the coaching panel is cooked.
There is something missing in that team.
It reminds me of rosscoes later years in charge.
Everything was flat, he had lost the group.

 

[Van_Dyke]

Yep. Last year I was pretty keen on making excuses for him because his preseason was buggered. But this year he hasn't missed a beat all preseason, and he gives us this two weeks in a row.
He's cooked. I've loved him for a long time but he's done.

I still have some hope that it starts to click seeing he’s still getting to decent spots to make an enough of an impact but the execution isn’t what it once was, but the clock is sadly ticking

 

[Lach72]

He’s lost the agility he had, and now he’s just a slow, flopping parody of the player he once was.

As someone who was desperate to keep him early doors (from the first time I saw him play 18’s in 2007 I’ve loved him) it’s sad to see.

 

[G Mus]

I don’t think he’s even capable to dominate at WAFL level any more

 

[stax on the mull]

That 30 seconds Walters spent on his stomach on the wing watching the play was worrying. He got up holding his arm but the dive to tackle Brad Hill was an unrealistic attempt. Why was he even playing on Brad Hill today? Did he ask for that role because of their friendship to try and best his best mate? Hill made some mistakes with turnovers but he had 30 possessions - their leading metres gain player. There's no way Walters has the aerobic capacity to chase Hill around.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Needs to play midfield or play for Peel. Can't play permanent forward any more.

 

[purplerunsdeep2]

Gonski

He enjoyed the midfield time due to the ability to get enough free ball in a relatively good midfield. He knows his lost his most powerful weapon - the first step getting separation

Now back forward, clearly struggling

Tough conversation has to happen, this being his last year

Mid season draft maybe we aim for a small forward that’s performing - in the meantime…? Maybe western?

Sad ending


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[se17enteen]

Tough conversation has to happen, this being his last year

You know the club gave him a 1 year extension at the start of the year right??


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[theGav56]

You know the club gave him a 1 year extension at the start of the year right??


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The talk is that an extension clause was triggered, meaning that the decision was actually made at the time of his previous contract.

But there are two issues with the here; List Management, and team selection. If Walters is on the list as depth I'm OK with that. Being in the best 22 in an already too small forward line is poor.

 

[serial_thrilla]

It baffles me that Walters hasn't adjusted his game as his body ages. He's still trying to play like a 28 year old with fast acceleration, quick pivots off one leg and tight running arcs. His body can no longer do any of those, hence why he spends so much time falling over.

He's still a skillful player though, with some a good footy brain, straight line speed (over short distances) and a lovely kick.

So why not try to play in a bit more space, or play a small leading forward role where he only needs to run in a straight line? He's probably our best kick from 40 m out on the flank, why not play to his strength?

You're not an inside midfielder with breakaway pace anymore, SonSon. Nor are you a nippy crumbing forward who can deftly steal the ball from I50 congestion. It's time to adapt or else it's a mentoring role at Peel until his contract finishes up.